By Associated Press - Friday, July 7, 2023

For the first time, it’s an NBA game day for Victor Wembanyama.

The San Antonio rookie is expected to be a Spurs lineup for the first time Friday night, when he makes his NBA Summer League debut against the Charlotte Hornets.

It’s a matchup of the top two picks in last month’s draft: Wembanyama went No. 1 overall to the Spurs, while Brandon Miller went No. 2 overall to the Hornets.

Summer league tickets are sold out for Friday, with all 17,500 claimed, the NBA said. The league was approaching sellouts for Saturday and Sunday as well; Wembanyama is expected to play for the Spurs on Sunday against Portland.

Wembanyama - the 7-foot-3 French teen whose debut has been hotly awaited - made headlines Thursday when Britney Spears filed a police report saying a saying a Spurs security struck her. Despite the incident, Wembanyama seemed excited when told that Friday night’s game was a sellout.

“I think I’m a good person and I think I can influence people in a good way,” Wembanyama said. “If I can give even 40 minutes of fun to 17,000 people, I’ll do it. As long as I can do good to people, I’ll do it.”


PHOTOS: Wembanyama set to make his summer league debut with Spurs on Day 1 in Las Vegas


There are eight games on Friday’s schedule. Friday also marks the start of the inaugural NBA Con event - also happening in Las Vegas. A number of NBA players will be appearing there throughout the day, the first day of the three-day event.

On Saturday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will reveal the format for the inaugural in-season tournament that will conclude in December.

Games continue in Las Vegas through July 17. Summer League contests are slightly shorter than regular season games; quarters are 10 minutes each instead of the customary 12.

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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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